Grounded Gardener: Lemon Balm

Lemon Balm

Common names: Sweet balm, Bee balm, Heart’s delight, Melissa, Garden balm, Honey plant, and Balm

Botanical name: Melissa officinalis L.    

Family: Lamiaceae (mint family)

TCM name: Xiang fen cao            

Botanical Description:

          Lemon balm is a perennial herb native to the Mediterranean, central and southern Europe. Melissa is now cultivated worldwide (Herbarium, 2019). Balm has a yellow-green to dark green coloring, with pastel colored flowers. The toothed oval leaves grow out from a square stem in an opposite form, following suit with characteristics of the mint family. Melissa’s lemon like scent is its number one identifier and attracts pollinators into its environment. The lemon scent also transfers into its flavor. Without even waterings lemon balm may be prone to rust and powdery mildew (Kowalchick & Hylton 1987). The plant enjoys a sunny to partly shaded location with rich, well-drained soil. 

Harvesting Guidelines:

          Lemon balm, like most plants in the mint family, has a tendency to spread out and migrate in a garden. Harvesting lemon balm multiple times throughout the growing season keeps mature plants in their designated spot (Boxer & Back, 1986). Trimming lemon balm two or three times a year during the summer months may control the possible garden take over and it also keeps the plant from flowering (Kowalchick & Hylton, 1987). Collecting lemon balm before or at the start of flowering will insure the best flavor and constituent concentration (Herbarium, 2019). Cut fresh shoots when they are about six to twelve inches (10-30 cm) tall between two pairing leave sets, leaving at least one-third of the plant to encourage regrowth (Hoffman, 1998). Lemon balm can be dried using traditional drying methods.

Part of Plant Used:

Use fresh or dry leaves. (Herbarium, 2019; Hoffman, 1998)

Types of Preparations:

          Fresh or dry, lemon balm is a very versatile herb which can be used internally as a culinary herb, for a refreshing beverage, in water infusions, tinctures, and glycerites. Balm also can be made into infused waters and oils for external use as a wash, bath, or other appropriate topical application.  Melissa essential oil can be used topically and aromatically.

Chemical Constituents:

Volatile oils, polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, triterpenoids, rosmarinic acid, Essential oils, Cital, citronella, geraniol, linalool, resin, flavones (Herbarium 2019, Hoffmann, 2003 & 1998)

Actions:

Anti-bacterial, Antiemetic, Antioxidant, Antispasmodic, Anti-Viral, Aromatic, Diaphoretic,  Mild Hypertensive, Hypotensive (Hoffmann, 1998) Mild Sedative, Nervine, Stomachic

Taste & Energetics:

Sweet, Astringent, Sour (Herbal Academy, 2019; Hoffmann)

History and Uses:

“Balm is sovereign for the brain, the memory and powerfully chasing away melancholy” John Evelyn 1620-1706

          Herbalist Brigitte Mars states that lemon balm is a very easy plant to grow in any garden (HerbTV, 2015). It’s lemony aroma is very attractive to bees and other pollinators (Boxer & Back, 1980). Lemon balm makes really wonderful honey and is helpful to the bees (HerbTV, 2015). Sometimes bees fall asleep while enjoying the refreshing nectar of lemon balm. The bees love lemon balm so much this is where it got the common names of Bee Balm and Honey plant.

          Lemon balm has a long history of use for a few very common ailments. Melissa is widely known to be beneficial in times of melancholy, insomnia, and anxiety (Willard, 2016; Herbal Academy). For thousands of years, people believed that Lemon balm gladdened the heart and promoted longevity. Lemon balm’s  juice was often rubbed on furniture to give wood a glow and improve the smell (Kowalchick& Hylton, 1987; Gender, 1982).

          In the 14th century, lemon balm was paired with orange blossom and angelica root to create Carmelite water. The people of medieval times would use this water by internally ingesting it and topically washing themselves “to renew youth”. Carmelite water was made by the nuns of the Abbey of St. Juste (Gender, 1982).

Lemon balm’s nervine and mild-sedative nature makes it a gentle and tasty addition to tea or tincture blends to help insomnia sufferers (Balch, 2012). These actions are also useful in cases of anxiety and nervous tension (Willard, 2016). Melissa is especially useful in calming nervousness in adults and over excitement in children (Cech, 2016). It is uplifting for mood and calming of anxieties. Improving tension throughout the entire body (Willard, 2016).

 In 2011, the pilot trial used volunteers with a history of anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances in a fifteen day, open-label study to evaluate the effects of standard Melissa officinalis extract on humans. This study found that nineteen out of the twenty (95%) volunteers showed intended therapeutic effects providing a bit more evidence that with a regular administration routine of Melissa officinalis L. relieves the effects stress can have on the body (Cases, Ibarra, Feuillère, Roller, & Sukkar, 2010).

In HerbTV’s video DIY Herbs: Lemon balm, Mary Soul explained the benefits of Melissa for children. It is helpful in cases of stomach ailments, hyperactivity, and nervousness in children of all ages (HerbTV, 2015). Lemon balm is useful to promote focus in those that suffer from ADHD and ADD. Lemon balm was proven beneficial in 2014 with a study that paired Valerian root and Melissa together, before bed for children with attention issues. The study showed improvement in impulsive behaviors, focus, and cognitive thinking throughout the day. This study also found significant difference in the quality of child’s sleep, showing improvement in irregular sleep rhythms, restfulness, and length. (Gromball, at al,  2014).

          Infants can be bathed in lemon balm water to help soothe mood (Herbal Academy Intermediate Course). Lemon balm is gentle enough to be used in mothers milk teas to help soothe babies tummies that may be suffering from colic (Shealy, 2002).  Michael Tierra teaches that Melissa is very soothing, calming and uplifting herb for children (2015).

          Melissa acts as a carminative in adults also. Improving many digestive complaints including Irritable bowel syndrome, gas, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting (HerbTV, 2015; Balch, 2012). Warm lemon balm tea at bed time promotes sweating, making it useful when one has a cold, fever, and flu symptoms (Gender, 1982; Cech, 2016). Lemon balm tea has an affinity to calming nausea, gas, and cramping in the gastrointestinal Tract in humans of all ages. (HerbTV, 2015)

Lemon balm is beneficial as a uterine tonic by helping to relieve muscle spasms and cramping in the uterine tissues (Willard, 2016). Lemon balm is very soothing to young girls during their moon cycle (HerbTV, 2015).

          Melissa infused olive oil or water infusion can be used for a herpes virus, shingles, and cold sores outbreaks. Balm is useful in shortening the length of the outbreak and prolonging the time between flare ups (Balch, 2012; HerbTV, 2015). It is important to take lemon balm internally as well as externally during a flare up (HerbTV, 2015). Lemon balm essential oil can be used topically for shingles by adding five drops of Melissa essential oil to one teaspoon of olive oil and applying the ointment to the affected area (Chevallier, 2000).

          Acting as a thyroxine inhibitor, lemon balm is a hormonal herb often used to balance an overactive thyroid (Chevalier, 2000; HerbTV 2015). Useful in supporting heart palpitations,  especially in cases of hyperthyroidism, and hyper adrenal conditions (HerbTV, 2015). Although, Melissa Officianalis is normally contraindicated in hypothyroidism, David Watson suggests that small amounts of lemon balm may be useful in hypothyroidism ( HerbTV, 2015). In vitro, Melissa has shown useful in primary and secondary Hyperthyroidism by disrupting the thyroid stimulating hormone and thyroid cell membrane receptors from binding. Balm impedes the fusion of iodine with thyroxine synthesis because it regulates iodothyronine deiodinase enzyme production. Furthermore, Melissa Officianalis is often the go to herb when supporting those with Grave’s disease due to it inhibiting the thyroid binding auto antibodies that occurs as a byproduct of both Hashimoto’s and Grave’s disease. It is believed that the anti-thyroid action of Melissa may play a role in its sedative effects (Santini, at al, 2003)

The study Reduction of Adipose Tissue Mass by the Angiogenesis Inhibitor ALS-L1023 from Melissa officinalis, investigated its usefulness to improve the reduction of adipose tissue in nutritionally obese mice. They discovered a decrease in fat cell size, shrinking of adipose tissue, and control of overall body weight gain without interrupting ones diet. This is due to many endocrine supporting metabolic actions, showing that weight gain and lose can be supported by angiogenesis inhibitors (Park, at al, 2015).

          In the 2016 study the Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University in Iran found that Melissa extract has improved cognitive thinking and slows down the progression of Alzheimer’s and dementia in vitro. Their findings indicate the polyphenolic, antioxidant components and its ability to slow apoptosis played a role in the results  (Soodi, at al, 2016). Although there isn’t currently any studies of the effects of Melissa officinalis on humans to prove it helpful with Alzheimer’s disease there has been recent studies proving lemon balms effectiveness on cognitive thinking and mood. Lemon balm has a sustained improvement in accuracy of attention, calmness, in healthy individuals when administered at a low or first dose, while alertness was found to diminish after a high dose (Cases, at al, 2010). For short term memory loss, Matthew Wood suggests 5 drops as needed of fresh lemon balm extracted in a sweet brandy (Wood, 2009).

Magical/Spiritual/tips uses:

Water Element, Moon or Neptune, Female, Use to help clear intentions, for love, fertility, improving sex, uplifts mood.

Herbal Alchemy:

Lemon balm is an easy plant to practice making plant stones when beginning your alchemy path. (Willard, 2016)

Carmelite Water: (Gender, 1982)

• 1 kg (2 pounds) fresh Lemon balm leaves
• 110g (4 oz) Angelica root

Slowly distilled with:

• 2.3 liters (1/2 gallon) of orange blossom water
• 4.5 liters( 1g) of  alcohol.

Dream Pillow (Cunningham, 2002)

Use equal parts herb place in a satchel under your pillow.

• Lemon Balm
• Rose petals
• Mint
• Clove

Prosperity Incense (Cunningham, 2002)

Make on Thursday during the waxing moon. To make use equal parts powdered herb of each herb listed.

• Clove
• Lemon balm
• Nutmeg
• Poppy seed
• Cedar

Moisten Powdered herbs with a few drops each EO,

• Honeysuckle
• Almond

Pairs well with:

• Try with Passionflower to improve sleep and synergizes with the natural sedative nature of lemon balm.
• Valerian to improve social and hyperactive behavior, concentration and impulsiveness in children and adults. Due to the sedative nature in both lemon balm and valerian this combination could synergistically cause drowsiness.
• Rose and lavender for heart and love concerns.
• Other mints for a refreshing summer drink.
• Digestive troubles try with Hops,  chamomile, and meadowsweet (Hoffman, 1998). Keep in mind when combining hops and lemon balm together they could synergistically create a heavy sedative. This combination could become super bitter.  
• For stress and tension blend with lavender and lime blossom (Hoffman, 1998).

Dosage suggestions:

• Adult:

• Tincture:  2-6 ml 3x day (Hoffman, 1998)
• Small dose (1-3 drops), large dose (10-30 drops) (Wood, 2009)
• Infusion: 2-3 tsp of dried herb in 1 cup boiling water; steep for 10-15. 2-4 cups a day (Hoffman, 1998)
• Topically for shingles: 5 drops of Melissa Essential oil to 1TSP of olive oil and applying the ointment to area. (Chevallier, 2000)
•  For dementia: use 60 drops of  lemon balm extract internally for 4 months and rub infused oil into upper body twice daily for four weeks. (RXList.com)
•  For short term memory loss: try 5 drops as needed of fresh lemon balm tinctured in a sweet brandy. (Wood, 2009)
• Children Dosing Formulas: (Justis, 2018; Intermediate Herbal Course, Advanced Herbal Course. n.d.) 
  • Clark’s rule: Weight for child divided by 150
  • Young’s rule: Child’s age + 12, divided by child’s age

Safety : 

          Lemon balm is considered safe for children, elderly, pregnant and nursing mothers. Consuming Melissa with alcohol may increase drowsiness. Some medication might interact with lemon balm.

RX and OTC Interactions: 

According to RxList.com, Melissa Officianlis might have an adverse reaction when combined with the following medications. Close monitoring is needed.

• Antidiabetic drugs Interaction Rating: Moderate 
  • Lemon balm might decrease blood sugar. 
    • Some medications used for diabetes include glimepiride, glyburide, insulin, pioglitazone, rosiglitazone, chlorpropamide, glipizide, tolbutamide
• Sedative medications: Lemon balm might cause sleepiness and drowsiness.
  • Barbiturates Interaction Rating: Moderate 
    • medications include pentobarbital, phenobarbital, secobarbital
  • CNS Depressants Interaction Rating: Moderate
    • medications include clonazepam, lorazepam, phenobarbital, zolpidem 
• Thyroid hormone Interaction Rating: Moderate 
  • Lemon balm has an effect on the thyroid function. 
    • medications used for thyroid hormone replacement include levothyroxine, liothyronine, A

Sources:

Advanced Herbal Course. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://theherbalacademy.com/student-dashboard/course/advanced-herbal-course

Balch, P. A. (2012) Prescription for Herbal Healing. 2nd Edition. New York, NY. Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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Cases, J., Ibarra, A., Feuillère, N., Roller, M., & Sukkar, S. G. (2010). Pilot trial of Melissa officinalis L. leaf extract in the treatment of volunteers suffering from mild-to-moderate anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances. Mediterranean Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, 4(3), 211–218. doi: 10.3233/s12349-010-0045-4

Cech, R. (2016) Making Plant Medicine. 4th Edition. Williams, Oregon. Herbal Reads.

Chevallier FNIMH, A. (2000) Natural Health Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. New York, NY. Dorling Kindersley Book.

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Gromball, J., Beschorner, F., Wantzen, C., Paulsen, U., & Burkart, M. (2014). Hyperactivity, concentration difficulties and impulsiveness improve during seven weeks’ treatment with valerian root and lemon balm extracts in primary school children. Phytomedicine, 21(8-9), 1098-1103. doi:10.1016/j.phymed.2014.04.004

HerbTV. (2015, July 07). DIY Herbs: Lemon balm. Mars, B., Soul, M., Tierra, M., Watson, D., Wood, M. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkNnzhzMaWg

Herbal Academy. (n.d.). The Herbarium. Lemon Balm. Retrieved from https://herbarium.theherbalacademy.com/monographs/#/monograph/1014

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Jedi, H. (2016, June 13). Lemon Balm | Herb of the ages | Yarrow and Terry Willard. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWmc7F2nrjU

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